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(No ModeL) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 H. 0. NICHOLSON. ELEGTRIG RAILWAY SIGNAL.

Btn'ed a, 1885. m

(No ModeL) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

. H. O. NICHOLSON.

' ELECTRIC RAILWAY SIGNAL.

No. 329,478. Patented Nov. 3,1885. F F

SIGNAL NITE STATES HENRY C. NICHOLSON, OF MOUNT WASHINGTON, OIIlO.

ELECTRIC RAILWAY-SIGNAL,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 329,478, dated November 3, 1835.

Application tiled May .20, 1884. Serial No, 132,159. (No innrlell be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is an improvement on the electric signal-circuits for railroads described in my United States Letters PatentNo. 275,255, issued April 3, 1883.

It consists, mainly, in the combination, with the main-circuit which contains the relays for causing the operation of the signals, of two normally-open shunt-wires, one of which when closed operates exclusively to display the danger-signals, while the other when closed oper ates exclusively to display the safety-signals.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, 1 have illustrated in the annexed drawings, and will proceed to describe, one practical form of my invention, showing it as applied to a signalblock on a main track entered by two side tracks, and a second form of my invention as applied to a double-track road.

Figure 1 is a diagram of the first abovementioned form of my invention, and Fig. 2 is a diagram of the second form.

The signalblock illustrated in Fig. 1 contains four signals, marked, respectively, 1 2 3 4, each composed of a hollow disk, (4, provided with two stationary safety-signals, b b, and two danger-signals, c 0, attached to the opposite ends of a beam, (1, located in the hollow disk and centrally secured to a shaft, e, by which the beam may be oscillated from a position in which the danger-signals are hidden and the safety-signals exposed to a position in which the danger'signals are exposed and cover the safety-signals. The shaft 2 carries a fast spur-wheel, f, which is engaged by a segmental rack, 9 on the upper end of the lever g of the soft-iron armature g of a polar relay, P R, composed of an insulated helix of wire, through which the soft-iron armature passes, and apairot" permanentrevcrsed horseshoe-magnets, m, one at each end of thehelix. The armature-lever plays between stops h and h. The helices of the polar relays are parts of the main line Let" the main circuit, which main line connects similarsay the positive poles of two equal batteries, M B and M B, grounded, respectively, by ground-wires 5 and 6, so that normally no current flows over the line. At post 7, at or near the positive pole of battery M B, and between said battery and the polar relay of signal 4:, a shunt-wire, 8, is connected to the line L, and extends thence to the end of the signal-block adjacent to signal 1, where it is connected to an insulated railsection, 9, of one side of the main track T, an insulated rail-section, 10, on the opposite side of the main track being grounded by Wire 11. This shunt-wire 8 is also connected to an insulated rail-section, 12, of the main track by a wire, 13, at the end of the signal-block adjacent to signal 4 and opposite an insulated rail section, 14, grounded by wire 15. At post 16, at or near the positive pole of battery M B, and between said battery and the polar relay of signal 1, a shunt-wire, 17, is connected to line L, and extends thence to an insulated rail-section, 18, located at the end of the signal-block next to insulated railsection 12 and opposite to insulated rail-sec tion 14. This shunt-wire 17 is also connected by a wire, 19, to an insulated rail-section, 20,

at the end of the signal-block next to insulated trated the relays are so constructed that this current will make that end of the armature which is shown in the drawings, a north pole, so that it will be repelled by the adjacent north pole of the permanent magnet and attracted too stops h, whereby the danger-signals are turned intoview and the safety-signals covered up. 'As a locomotive or train leaves rail-section 9 or 12, in advancing in the signal-block, the normal condition of the circuits is re-established and the line-current vanishes, but no effect is thereby produced on the signals,"

because the armature-levers of the relays will remain resting against stops h, being held there by the superiormagnetic attraction of the poles of the permanent magnets nearest the armature's, as well as by mechanical inertia. As the locomotive passes out of the block, say at the righthand end,its forward truck connects insulated rail-section 18 with grounded rail-st ction 14; but insulated rail-section 12 is so long that one or more of the trucks of the locomotive remain still on said rail-section 12; hence both shunt Wires 8 and 17 will be cos dsimultaneously, so that the current from battery M B will still be diverted from the main line by shunt-wire 8, andalthough the main portion of the current from battery MB will now also be diverted from the main line by shunt-wire 17, (since the resistance-of the main line is superior, by reason of the relays in it, to the resistance of shunt-wire 17,) still ,a small portion of the current from battery M B will continue to flow over the main line and maintain a degree of'polarization of the relayarmatures, so as to still cause the' armaturelevers to be held against stops h. The armature-levers would remain resting against stops h, even though the'whole of the current from battery M B were diverted from the main line. Therefore no change will be effected in the signals under the circumstances stated; but the moment the last truck of the outgoing locomotive, car,;or train leaves rail-section 12 and connects rail-section 18with rail-section 14 the whole of the current from battery M B is diverted from the main line by shunt-wire 17, and the Whole of the current from battery M B flows over the main line to post 16, where it also enters the shunt-wire 17. The polarity of the relay-armatures is immediately reversed, and the armature-levers are moved from-stops h back to stops h, whereby the danger-signals are turned out of view and the safety-signals made visible. At all points where a side track is connected with the main track a signal should be placed so as to be visible from such side track. In order that trains passing from a side track onto the main track, and viceversa,

may properly operate the signals along the main track, I connect shunt-wire 8 by a wire, 21,to an insulated rail-section, 22, in the side track ata point-near the junction and opposite an insulated'rail section, 23, which is grounded by wire 24:. Just beyond rail-section 22, but still opposite grounded rail-section 23, I place another insulated rail=section 25,and connect it by awire,26,to' shunt-wire17.

It will be observed that the signals will be operated from the side track precisely in the same manner as they are operated from the main track, and that the danger-signals will remain exposed until the locomotive, car, or train has' cleared the main track and passed wholly onto the side track.

I do not confine 'myself to the details of construction and arrangement shown and described, since they may be modified in many ways without departing from the essence of my invention. For instance, the relays, instead of operating the signals directly, may simply close local circuits provided with suitable means for operatin the'signals; relays of different style may be used; the location of the respective insulated rail-sections may be changed, &c. l

On double-track roads, where all outgoing trains run on one track and all incoming trains on the other track, a single signal-opcrating electro-magnet only is required for each signal-circuit; and besides the main line the following conductors onlynamely, wire 19, (thenconnected to post 16,) insulated rail 20, ground-wire 11. connected to a rail opposite rail- 20, wire 13, (then connected to post 7,) insulated rail 12, and ground-wire 15 con-' nected to a rail opposite rail 12. This arrangement is shown in Fig. 2.

I claim as my invention-- 1. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of a closed main-line signaling-circuit containing two equal but opposed batteries, one at each end, and two independent 'normallyopen shunt-wires, 8 and 17, connected to the circuit and with the track or tracks, substantially as described, so that 'said shunt.- wires are adapted to be closed automatically by a locomotive or car, one of said shunt-wires, when closed separately, op-

erating exclusively to cause the display of the dangensignals, and the other to cause the display of the safety-signals.

' 2. The combination, substantially as before set forth,'of"a main-line signaling-circuit containing two equal but opposed batteries,

shunt-wires connected to the main line and track or tracks, substantially as described, so that the closing of oneshunt-wire causes a currentto flow over the main line in one di- 'rection,;efi'ectin'g the display of a danger-signal, while the closing of the other shunt-wire causes a current to flow over the mainline in the opposite direction, effecting the display ofconnected to the armature working between the-poles-of a magnet, said armature having a coil connectedi'n the main-line circuit, and two or more shunt-circuits connected to themain lineand to an insulated rail, whereby two different signals are made by reversing the direction of currents sent over the main line as either one of the batteries'is cut out the main-line circuit and brought into the shuntcircuit by car-wheels passing over the insulated rails, substantially as before set forth.

4. In combination with the main track of a railroad and one or more switch-tracks, a main signal-circuit operated alternately by a battery at each end and a shunt for each switch or side track, said shunts connecting the track to the main signal-circuit, and one or more signals connected in the main line with the armature of a magnet, said circuit normally arranged to have no current, but adapted to be automatically electrically excited by the passing of train wheels either upon the main or switch line bringing a shunt into circuit with one battery, whereby danger and safety signals are alternately brought into View as the respective shunt-circuits are brought into operation, substantially as before set forth.

5. The combination, substantially as before set forth, of a main-line signaling-circuit containing two equal but opposed batteries, one at each end, a polarized relay in the mainline circuit, signals operated by said polarized relay, and at each end of the circuit a normally-open connection from the main line to earth adapted to be closed automatically by a locomotive or car to short-circuit the adjacent battery.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses. 1

HENRY G. NICHOLSON.

WVitnesses:

O. A. NEALE, E. T. WALKER. 

